Hiking can cover a lot of territory, if not literally, then figuratively. In a nutshell, it really comes down to taking a long walk in nature. That’s what I’ve always liked to do since my earliest memories, when my father would rally the family and we would set off for a hike through our 200-acre […]
Getting outdoors in the winter is the best way to make it through this dark and cold season and stay healthy. Keeping indoors means missing out on important exercise, fresh air, and vitamin D. But ice fishing, really? That’s what most people ask, or just assume it’s really an activity that is more about drinking. […]
The first time we tried cross country skiing was on a path that follows the bank of the Rideau River not far from my house. The second time involved travelling outside the city into the Gatineau Hills to take advantage of some professionally groomed cross country trails. The first test went badly. The second went […]
After working up quite a sweat sledding in the morning, we now had an afternoon of snow shoeing to look forward to. Same two dogs, Sherman and Lewis, but this time it’s my wife, Anne who joined me while Theo took a well-earned rest. Andrew and Karen met us at a near-by forest with Sherman […]
There are risks in any outdoor activity: to yourself, to others in the immediate area, and to your guide dog. You can either live your life in a protective bubble or push out on the walls that define your limits and try new things. This is how I learned to keep doing the things that […]
Today could very well be the most fun we will have as a family throughout the coming year. Why? Because Karen from CNIB’s Guide Dog Program just came over to our house with a basket full of 10-week old puppies that are on their way to their foster families. Each puppy will live with these […]
Deciding to reach out to a new guide dog school is a difficult decision. You get to know the trainers at their old school over time, and changing schools means starting all over again. More importantly, the trainers also need to get to know me. As they will also need to get to know you, […]
On a number of occasions over the past half-dozen years, CEO and President of CNIB John Rafferty and I discussed the possibility of the CNIB offering a guide dog program unique to all others. It was a need that John was convinced Canadians everywhere living with vision loss required, as I did. Canada is a […]